This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-39971237
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Sydney siege: Families criticise 'outrageous' police tactics | Sydney siege: Families criticise 'outrageous' police tactics |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Relatives of two hostages who died in the Sydney siege have criticised police over their handling of the incident. | |
In December 2014, self-styled Islamist Man Haron Monis held 18 people hostage inside a Lindt cafe in the city centre. | In December 2014, self-styled Islamist Man Haron Monis held 18 people hostage inside a Lindt cafe in the city centre. |
Heavily armed police stormed the building 17 hours later after Monis shot cafe manager Tori Johnson. | Heavily armed police stormed the building 17 hours later after Monis shot cafe manager Tori Johnson. |
A subsequent inquest was on Sunday labelled a "witch hunt" by the police union, but victims' families said police tactics had put lives in danger. | |
The relatives said they were shocked by revelations that police had planned to intervene only if the gunman killed or injured someone. | |
"I'll never be able understand how you can make a calculated decision that you wait for someone to die," Mr Johnson's mother, Rosie Connellan, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) in a programme to be broadcast on Monday. | |
New South Wales coroner Michael Barnes will hand down his findings into the 18-month inquest on Wednesday. | New South Wales coroner Michael Barnes will hand down his findings into the 18-month inquest on Wednesday. |
Monis was shot dead by police during the raid, while another hostage, Katrina Dawson, was killed by stray bullet fragments fired by police. | |
The inquest aimed to establish whether deaths were avoidable and if it should have been treated as a terrorist event. | The inquest aimed to establish whether deaths were avoidable and if it should have been treated as a terrorist event. |
How the Sydney siege unfolded | How the Sydney siege unfolded |
In depth: Timeline of events | In depth: Timeline of events |
Relatives of Ms Dawson, a barrister and cafe customer, said the police tactics were "outrageous". | |
"The idea that we had to wait for somebody to be killed or seriously injured before the police would act was staggering," her brother, Angus Dawson, told the ABC. | |
The barrister's mother, Jane Dawson, said: "They should be saving them from death or serious injury." | The barrister's mother, Jane Dawson, said: "They should be saving them from death or serious injury." |
Mr Johnson's partner, Thomas Zinn, said he had lost faith in police because of their "great level of incompetence" during the incident. | Mr Johnson's partner, Thomas Zinn, said he had lost faith in police because of their "great level of incompetence" during the incident. |
It is the first time the families have publicly criticised police, aside from when Mr Johnson's parents stormed out of the inquest during one testimony. | It is the first time the families have publicly criticised police, aside from when Mr Johnson's parents stormed out of the inquest during one testimony. |
However, New South Wales Police Association acting chief Tony King said the inquest had scrutinised police officers "as if they were on trial". | |
"For some lawyers the focus appeared to be not just to attribute blame but moral culpability, twisting words to belittle experienced officers," he wrote in a long post on Medium. | |
Mr King said they should instead be thanked for putting their lives on the line. | |
Questions about why police snipers did not attempt to shoot Monis were heavily discussed during the inquest. | Questions about why police snipers did not attempt to shoot Monis were heavily discussed during the inquest. |
A police commander in charge of the operation had previously said the siege had the hallmarks of a domestic incident rather than terrorism, despite the fact that Monis asked to be given a flag of the so-called Islamic State (IS) militant group. | A police commander in charge of the operation had previously said the siege had the hallmarks of a domestic incident rather than terrorism, despite the fact that Monis asked to be given a flag of the so-called Islamic State (IS) militant group. |
He said he had been advised by a psychiatrist that the siege was "final posturing" by Monis in order to gain some "street cred" before a likely jail sentence. | He said he had been advised by a psychiatrist that the siege was "final posturing" by Monis in order to gain some "street cred" before a likely jail sentence. |
Monis had been facing dozens of sexual assault charges plus charges of being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. | Monis had been facing dozens of sexual assault charges plus charges of being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. |